St. Augustine grass `6-72-182`

ABSTRACT

A perennial St. Augustine grass with yellow anthers and white stigmas having very good turf performance, good cold tolerance, short internodes and leaves and good resistance to gray leaf spot.

BACKGROUND

A St. Augustine grass which has been named "Seville" was disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,097, which issued on Sept. 6, 1977. Another St.Augustine grass which has been named "Delmar" was disclosed in U.S.Plant Pat. application Ser. No. 893,960, filed Aug. 7, 1986. A furtherSt. Augustine grass designated 6-72-130 is disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.application Ser. No. 07/185,524, filed or even date herewith.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial St.Augustine grass selected from the progeny of a controlled pollination ofa cold tolerant selection obtained from Memphis, Tenn. with the pollenof Seville. This yellow anther, white stigma genotype was labeled6-72-182 and propagated vegetatively by stolons to provide plantingstock for studying performance and making comparisons to presentcommercial varieties.

The combination of yellow anthers, white stigma, short and thininternodes, short leaf blades, good cold tolerance, a low tendency forpurple stems, good resistance to gray leaf spot and very good turfquality of 6-72-182 along with other information allow this genotype tobe distinguished from other St. Augustine grasses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a photograph of 6-72-182 St. Augustine turf;

FIG. 2 shows a single spike of a 6-72-182 St. Augustine grass plantdepicting yellow anthers and white stigmas protruding from severalspikelets; and

FIG. 3 is a photograph of a vegetative stolon of 6-72-182 St. Augustinegrass.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Genotype 6-72-182 has a yellow anther color, a white stigma color, andan unreduced chromosome number of 18. The internodes and leaf blades areshorter than most other St. Augustine varieties. The combination ofshorter internodes and leaf blades along with narrower than average leafblades results in a turf that is generally more dense, finer texturedand produces fewer clippings when mowed. Measurements of the spike andrelated structures indicate that 6-72-182 has a shorter and narrowerspike, a peduncle that is shorter than average and thinner than mostvarieties, a shorter and narrower flag leaf and a shorter flag leafsheath than most varieties of St. Augustine grass. The chromosomenumbers, anther and stigma color and morphological measurements of6-72-182 and other St. Augustine grasses are compared in Tables 1-4.

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                        Chromosome numbers, anther color, and stigma color of 6-72-182                and other St. Augustine grasses                                                             Chromosome   Anther  Stigma                                     Selection/Variety                                                                           Number       Color   Color                                      ______________________________________                                        6-72-182      18           Yellow  White                                      6-72-130      18           Purple  Purple                                     Bitterblue    27           Yellow  Purple                                     Delmar        18           Yellow  White                                      Floratam      27           Yellow  Purple                                     Floratine     27           Yellow  Purple                                     Raleigh       18           Yellow  White                                      Seville       18           Yellow  Purple                                     Texas Common  18           Yellow  White                                      California Common                                                                           18           Yellow  White                                      1081          18           Purple  Purple                                     ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 2                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative measurements of internode length and thickness of                 6-72-182 and other St. Augustine grasses.                                               Internode.sup.(a)                                                                    Diameter (mm).sup.(b)                                        Selection/Variety                                                                         Length (cm)                                                                              Longest  Shortest                                                                             Flat.sup.(c)                           ______________________________________                                        6-72-182    4.8        2.8      2.2    1.32                                   6-72-130    5.6        2.7      1.9    1.44                                   Bitterblue  6.9        2.7      2.1    1.30                                   Delmar      5.7        3.5      2.6    1.35                                   Floratam    7.5        3.2      2.5    1.25                                   Floratine   5.8        2.7      2.2    1.30                                   Raleigh     7.0        3.2      2.5    1.27                                   Seville     6.8        2.7      2.2    1.25                                   Texas Common                                                                              6.2        3.0      2.2    1.35                                   California Common                                                                         4.2        2.4      2.0    1.22                                   1081        7.3        2.8      2.0    1.38                                   LSD (.05)   1.15       0.24     0.27   0.091                                  ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Greenhouse planting at Marysville, Ohio. Measurements taken on       unclipped potted plants using third internode from terminal end of stolon     .sup.(b) Diameter measurements taken at the approximate center of the         internode which has an elliptical shaped cross section.                       .sup.(c) Flatness index equals longest axis divided by shortest axis. A       larger flatness index indicates a flatter shaped stem.                   

                  TABLE 3                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative Leaf Blade Length, Width and Sheath Length of                     6-72-182 and other St. Augustine grasses.sup.(a).                                        Blade Length (cm)                                                                         Blade    Sheath                                                     High.sup.(b)                                                                           Low.sup.(c)                                                                            Width.sup.(b)                                                                        Length.sup.(b)                          Selection/Variety                                                                          Light    Light    (cm)   (cm)                                    ______________________________________                                        6-72-182     5.3      13.7     1.5    2.3                                     6-72-130     5.2      14.8     1.3    2.7                                     Delmar       7.3      16.7     1.8    3.3                                     Bitterblue   7.4      17.5     1.5    2.8                                     Floratam     10.1     27.2     1.7    4.5                                     Floratine    8.6      16.3     1.4    3.2                                     Raleigh      7.8      13.8     1.7    3.7                                     Seville      6.9      18.4     1.4    2.9                                     Texas Common 8.1      16.6     1.7    3.6                                     California Common                                                                          3.8      11.8     1.2    2.2                                     1081         7.8      15.2     1.5    3.2                                     LSD (.05)    2.03     3.25     0.17   0.71                                    ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Greenhouse Planting  Marysville, Ohio. Measurements taken on         unclipped potted plants.                                                      .sup.(b) After a period of natural sunlight and a high level supplemental     light.                                                                        .sup.(c) After a lengthy period of very cloudy conditions and no              supplemental light.                                                      

                  TABLE 4                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative measurements of the inflorescence and related                     structures of 6-72-182 and other St. Augustine grasses.sup.(a).               ______________________________________                                                   Spike       Peduncle                                                            Length   Width    Length Width                                   Selection/Variety                                                                          (mm)     (mm)     (mm)   (mm)                                    ______________________________________                                        6-72-182     60       4.3      52     1.6                                     6-72-130     56       4.8      41     1.7                                     Delmar       93       5.3      68     2.1                                     Bitterblue   78       5.6      61     2.2                                     Floratam     96       5.9      83     2.4                                     Floratine    74       5.8      48     2.3                                     Raleigh      72       5.8      62     2.2                                     Seville      71       4.9      50     1.9                                     Texas Common 68       4.9      42     1.9                                     1081         78       5.2      60     1.9                                     LSD (.05)    10.0     .64      18.3   0.28                                    ______________________________________                                                   Flag Leaf   Flag Leaf Sheath                                                    Length   Width    Length                                         Selection/Variety                                                                          (mm)     (mm)     (mm)                                           ______________________________________                                        6-72-182     16       6.0      30                                             6-72-130     30       5.9      31                                             Delmar       21       6.7      46                                             Bitterblue   22       6.4      44                                             Floratam     35       6.3      46                                             Floratine    27       7.2      39                                             Raleigh      25       7.5      42                                             Seville      15       5.8      38                                             Texas Common 29       7.1      39                                             1081         25       6.3      39                                             LSD (.05)    12.4     1.08     6.7                                            ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Greenhouse planting  Marysville, Ohio.                          

Field observations of 6-72-182 indicate that it has very good turfquality characteristics throughout the year and across the area of theUnited States where St. Augustine grass is adapted. It performsespecially well in the Florida climate. Although it performs best duringthe hotter summer months, it has good cold tolerance and performs betterduring the winter months than most readily available commercialvarieties. These characteristics of 6-72-182 as compared with other St.Augustine grasses for turf quality and cold injury are illustrated inTables 5-7.

                  TABLE 5                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative turf quality.sup.(a) of 6-72-182 and other St. Augustine          grass varieties at Apopka, Florida.                                           Selection/Variety                                                                          Summer      Winter  Mean                                         ______________________________________                                        6-72-182     9.3         8.3     8.7                                          6-72-130     8.2         7.6     7.8                                          Bitterblue   7.3         5.9     6.0                                          Delmar       9.8         9.0     9.6                                          Floratam     7.5         5.8     6.1                                          Floratine    7.2         6.1     6.4                                          Florida Common                                                                             8.2         6.6     7.0                                          Raleigh      6.7         7.1     7.4                                          Seville      9.0         7.9     8.1                                          Texas Common 6.5         8.4     8.0                                          1081         8.7         6.8     7.3                                          LSD (.05)    0.45        0.99    0.88                                         ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Qualityrated 1-10, 10 = best.                                   

                  TABLE 6                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative turf quality.sup.(a) of 6-72-182 and other St. Augustine-         grass varieties at the South Coast Field Station of the University            of California - Riverside.                                                               Turf Quality                                                       Selection/Variety                                                                          Summer      Winter  Mean                                         ______________________________________                                        6-72-182     5.8         4.5     5.0                                          6-72-130     6.6         4.6     5.4                                          Calif. Common                                                                              5.4         4.2     4.7                                          Delmar       5.3         4.7     4.9                                          Floratam     5.4         4.1     4.6                                          Raleigh      4.6         3.3     3.9                                          Texas Common 5.5         4.3     4.8                                          LSD (.05)    0.50        0.44    0.39                                         ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Qualityrated 1-10, 10 = best.                                   

                  TABLE 7                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative cold injury of 6-72-182 and other St. Augustine                   grasses in Apopka, Florida                                                              Cold Injury (%)                                                     Selection/Variety                                                                         Expt. 1 Expt. 2 Expt. 3                                                                             Expt. 4                                                                              Mean                                 ______________________________________                                        6-72-182    21      5       35    28     22                                   6-72-130    35      17      38    18     27                                   Bitterblue  53      38      58    34     46                                   Delmar      0       0       17    3      5                                    Floratam    40      42      55    40     44                                   Floratine   48      32      37    26     36                                   Raleigh     32      12      37    13     23                                   Seville     35      15      37    24     28                                   Texas Common                                                                              18      7       33    28     21                                   1081        47      33      48    33     40                                   LSD (.05)   20.9    18.5    26.1  23.5   16.5                                 ______________________________________                                    

Color of turf is an important component of turf quality. 6-72-182 has agood dark green color during the summer months which is darker greenthan most St. Augustine varieties, and during the winter months itscolor is comparable to other varieties. Other factors that have shownvarietal differences include: tendency to turn brown during the winter,for which 6-72-182 is rated about average; susceptibility to Asulox (animportant herbicide) to which 6-72-182 is not susceptible; purple stemcolor, especially during cold weather, for which 6-72-182 has a very lowtendency; susceptibility to gray leaf spot to which 6-72-182 has goodresistance; and susceptibility to chinch bugs to which 6-72-182 hasshown no greater susceptibility than most other varieties. Data on turfcolor, winter browning, Asulox injury, purple stems, gray leaf spot andchinch bugs are in illustrated in Tables 8-12.

                  TABLE 8                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative color ratings of 6-72-182 and other St. Augustine                 grass at various locations in the U.S.                                                   Color.sup.(a)                                                                 Florida.sup.(b)                                                    Selection/Variety                                                                          Summer      Mean   California.sup.(c)                            ______________________________________                                        6-72-182     9.8         8.5    3.9                                           6-72-130     8.6         7.7    3.8                                           Bitterblue   8.5         7.6    --                                            Calif. Common                                                                              --          --     3.8                                           Delmar       10.0        8.9    4.6                                           Floratam     8.8         7.8    4.2                                           Floratine    8.0         7.5    --                                            Florida Common                                                                             8.3         7.9    --                                            Raleigh      7.0         6.5    3.4                                           Seville      9.2         8.5    --                                            Texas Common 6.8         7.9    4.0                                           1081         8.8         8.0    --                                            LSD (.05)     0.48        0.67   0.35                                         ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Color rated 1-10, 10 = darkest green                                 .sup.(b) Test planted at Apopka, Florida                                      .sup.(c) Test planted at South Coast Field Station, University of             California  Riverside.                                                   

                  TABLE 9                                                         ______________________________________                                        Comparative ratings of various attributes of 6-72-182 and other               St. Augustine grasses which detract from overall appearance.                  Selection/Variety                                                                              Brown.sup.(a)                                                                          Asulox.sup.(b)                                      ______________________________________                                        6-72-182         5.0      0                                                   6-72-130         6.3      5                                                   Delmar           3.7      0                                                   Bitterblue       --       12                                                  Floratam         6.3      0                                                   Floratine        --       2                                                   Raleigh          8.3      10                                                  Seville          --       3                                                   Texas Common     5.7      0                                                   California Common                                                                              4.0      --                                                  1081             --       7                                                   LSD (.05)        2.0        5.3                                               ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Test planted at South Coast Field Station  University of             California  Rated as % brown turf.                                            .sup.(b) Test planted at Apopka, Florida  Rated as % injury              

                  TABLE 10                                                        ______________________________________                                        Comparative evaluations of purple stem color of 6-72-182 and                  other St. Augustine grasses.                                                             Purple Stem Color.sup.(a)                                          Selection/Variety                                                                          Ohio.sup.(b)                                                                            Florida.sup.(c)                                                                        California.sup.(d)                            ______________________________________                                        6-72-182     4.5        3       0                                             6-72-130     8.3       30       4.3                                           Bitterblue   8.0       10       --                                            Cal. Common  --        --       0.7                                           Delmar       3.5        7       0.7                                           Floratam     8.3       20       2.7                                           Floratine    8.0        8       --                                            Raleigh      6.0       28       1.7                                           Seville      4.0        0       --                                            Texas Common 4.5        8       1.0                                           1081         7.5       58       --                                            LSD (.05)    1.1       15       0.9                                           ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Purple stem color rated 1-10, 10 = stolons are very purple, 1 =      stolons are entirely green. For Florida, visual estimation of the level o     stem purpling in percent.                                                     .sup.(b) Test planted in the greenhouse at Marysville, Ohio.                  .sup.(c) Test planted at Apopka, Florida.                                     .sup.(d) Test planted at South Coast Field Station, University of             California  Riverside.                                                   

                  TABLE 11                                                        ______________________________________                                        Comparative ratings of gray leaf spots.sup.(a) of 6-72-182 and other St.      Augustine grasses at Apopka, Florida.                                         Selection/Variety                                                             ______________________________________                                        6-72-182         1.7                                                          6-72-130         1.7                                                          Bittrblue        3.5                                                          Delmar           1.0                                                          Floratam         3.8                                                          Floratine        2.6                                                          Raleigh          0.7                                                          Seville          0.8                                                          Texas Common     2.4                                                          1081             2.2                                                          LSD (.05)        0.88                                                         ______________________________________                                         .sup.a Rated 1-10, 10 = most disease.                                    

                  TABLE 12                                                        ______________________________________                                        Comparative ratings of chinch bug tolerance.sup.(a) of 6-72-182 and           other St. Augustine grasses.                                                  Selection/Variety                                                                              Florida.sup.(b)                                              ______________________________________                                        6-72-182         3.0                                                          6-72-130         1.7                                                          Delmar           2.0                                                          Bitterblue       5.0                                                          Floratam         7.0                                                          Floratine        2.7                                                          Raleigh          6.3                                                          Seville          5.7                                                          Texas Common     4.7                                                          ______________________________________                                         .sup.(a) Rated 1-10. 10 = severe damage.                                      .sup.(b) Test planted in the greenhouse at Apopka, Florida.              

What is claimed is:
 1. A St. Augustine grass, substantially as hereinillustrated and described.